Ulster Issue Injury Update Ahead Of Cardiff Clash
Ulster have issued an injury update ahead of their GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with the Cardiff Blues in the Welsh capital on Friday night.
The Springboks have confirmed that Ulster scrum half Ruan Pienaar suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain in their defeat to the All Blacks and will be out for between four and six weeks. This was confirmed after he was sent for scans on Monday.
Fellow back Darren Cave sustained a rib injury in Ulster’s home win over Zebre. He trained today and will be assessed later in the week to determine his availability for the game against Cardiff.
Meanwhile, recent Ireland Under-20 international Rory Scholes will have surgery tomorrow to stabilise a fracture that he sustained in his foot playing for his club side Belfast Harlequins. It is expected that he will be out for up to eight weeks.
Iain Henderson, who has not played since Ireland’s summer tour to Argentina, has an ongoing hip injury that has not responded to a conservative management programme. He will undergo hip surgery on September 25 after a period of intense rehab.
Another of the province’s forwards, prop Declan Fitzpatrick, is following return to play protocols after a concussive episode against the Scarlets.
Versatile back Jared Payne suffered a hip injury in the draw with the Scarlets. He will be unavailable for selection against Cardiff this week.
Speaking ahead of the trip to the Arms Park, in-form second row Dan Tuohy, who has scored two tries in as many league games, told the Belfast Telegraph: “With so many personnel changes (for last Friday’s game] and with guys that haven’t played a whole heap for us, we can see that they are starting to bed into the team.
“It is a learning process for all us but we got the five points (against Zebre) and now we must just move on.
“We have back-to-back away games now and if we can win in Cardiff then that will avenge last year and then it is Zebre again.”